Here you can follow our sailing from Sweden to the Mediterranian.We have a new yacht s/y Carpe Diem, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 40. Of practical reasons we are still using the homepage of our previous yacht s/y Xavita.

Klicka på bilderna föratt se dem i större format. NOTE! Click on the photos to have a larger image.

The sail trip from Gran Canaria to Tenerife started as very often motoring in dead calm. Coming to the sound between the two islands the wind blew stronger and stronger. Lovely sailing that became quite hard, so all sails had to be reefed. It was the “acceleration zone”, which happens when the wind is forced between islands and can be very strong. This made our arrival in daylight instead of darkness, as we had calculated.

We had booked a berth in a small harbor at the south coast of Tenerife, Las Galletas. Our friends from s/y Lärkan were also there. What a surprise and nice reunion! As we had had a real landlubber time in Gran Canaria, we had decided to work with our yacht, but still give some time for sightseeing. It was perfect to work because the weather was grey and also some rain. What a relief!

A rental car took us up to the volcano Teide, 3,817 m high. The mountains were hidden behind clouds for several days, but now they unveiled themselves. It was fascinating to drive up to the peak on winding roads in clouds that suddenly disappeared and we were above in sunshine. The nature around Teide consists of different sorts of magma rocks. Here you can see magma that has been flowing from the crater during hundreds of years and hardened into different formations of lava. The surfaces of these formations oxidize and change color through centuries from black to dark brown and light brown depending of the mineral content. There are also vast areas of volcanic ashes that were erupted together with clouds of gases. It feels like sand, but if you take a handful you will feel the low weight. So many impressive rock ridges and old volcanoes in this area, you really feel “tiny” in this outstanding nature. It’s like walking on the moon. Star Wars was filmed in this location.

The cable car up to the summit was closed due to rain and hard winds. Maybe as good, because up on the top the temperature was at the freezing point. We were dressed in warm cloths, but some came in shorts, flip-flops and wrapped in towels.

From this sterile nature the ride continued to the northwest and west parts of Tenerife. It was like coming to another world. Green, green with different kinds of pine trees up on the hills. When driving further down on the winding mountain roads, more and more trees and bushes and flowers. Bananas are grown here in large plantations. We finished the trip by walking like tourists along the beach in Los Christianos and eating a tasty paella.